Pye Corner Station - Opens 14th Dec 2014

[Starmill]

We don't appear to have a thread concerning the fact that the new station at Pye Corner in Newport will open on Sunday next week! The source is page 2 of Network Rail's Commercial Information.

Apologies if this discussion is covered elsewhere, but I cannot find any. I remember the day after Energlyn and Churchill Park opened in nearby Caerphilly someone made a thread about it and the comments were a chorus of "I didn't know it was under construction, let alone opened!".

They have proven quite good at getting new stations open in South Wales recently. May it continue!

First published Friday 31 October 2014 in News
by Francesca Gillett

THE UK Transport Minister visited the soon-to-be finished Pye Corner railway station in Newport today, calling the construction of the station the fastest she has ever seen.

Baroness Kramer visited the construction site in Rogerstone this morning ahead of the new station’s completion and opening on December 14.

The £3.5 million new rail station has been jointly funded by the Welsh Government and the Department of Transport’s New Station Fund which pledged to build five new stations across the UK.

Baroness Kramer, who met with workers and building contractors Alun Griffiths on the site, said: “Pye Corner is a great example of how our record investment in the railway is building a network that meets the needs of local people and provides real benefits to the economy.”

Work started on the station in April 2014, one of the quickest new station builds the Department of Transport has ever seen.

“This station has basically been 34 weeks in the making. For a station to be built in this short time is incredible, it just shows what you can do when people work in partnership together.

“Pye Corner will be a template for other stations because it works so well. Stations don’t come cheap but it will be a very attractive one and has been designed so it’s got access for people with disabilities.”

It is hoped the single platform station, which will feature CCTV, a car park for 60 cars and electric car charging points, will help to relieve congestion on the roads and boost the local economy.

Once opened in December, the station will be served by the existing hourly Ebbw Vale to Cardiff service with the potential for additional destinations to be introduced in the future.

Project sponsor at the Department of Transport, Tony Potter, said: “What is phenomenal is the speed it’s all come together. It’s been one of the fastest new station builds we’ve ever done if not the fastest.

“It’s because it was a competition to be awarded funding and we set very tight deadlines. We said you can have the funding but we have to have the station in December.”

The department worked closely with Alun Griffiths, contractors for the platform and car park works, and Network Rail.

In May last year, when the investment in Pye Corner was announced, Welsh Government Minister for Economy and Transport Edwina Hart said the new station will greatly improve access to public transport, and help stimulate economic growth.

http://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/ne...n_to_open_on_December_14__minister_announces/

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I see that it will have the easy-to-remember 3-letter station code of PYE

 

[Starmill]

It sure will! Anyone going for the inaugural service?

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C31651/2014/12/14/advanced

It's not even at ridiculous o'clock!

 

[jopsuk]

I see that it will have the easy-to-remember 3-letter station code of PYE

Still not quite in the same league as Ely, where the full name and 3-letter code are identical.

 

[krus_aragon]

Still not quite in the same league as Ely, where the full name and 3-letter code are identical.

Well, there is talk of reopening the station at nearby Cwm. Only trouble there is that CWM curently refers to Cwmbrân!

 

[Starmill]

It's not a unique phenomenon, Par, Lye and IBM are all thusly blessed

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Any of the regulars on the Station Code Quiz, should the feeling have taken them, would have produced the entire list of these at the drop of a hat, says he adding WEM and ELY to the list...

 

[59CosG95]

The abbrevation for University [UNI] is easy to remember as well-being a student at Birmingham, I know that all too well!

 

[Clip]

Any of the regulars on the Station Code Quiz, should the feeling have taken them, would have produced the entire list of these at the drop of a hat, says he adding WEM and ELY to the list...

As a somewhat regular of aforementioned quiz I would like to point out that ELY has already been mentioned

 

[headshot119]

As I'm not working that day I'm tempted to get the first ever train to Pye Corner.

Interestingly brfares doesn't have any tickets listed yet. It'd be a shame if I couldn't buy a ticket to there on the first day.

 

[mirodo]

Any of the regulars on the Station Code Quiz, should the feeling have taken them, would have produced the entire list of these at the drop of a hat, says he adding WEM and ELY to the list...

You forgot Lee.

 

[VisualAcid]

You can see from the comments that most people in the area don't see it as a particularly useful station, especially without through services to Newport. Are these likely any time soon?

 

[krus_aragon]

You can see from the comments that most people in the area don't see it as a particularly useful station, especially without through services to Newport. Are these likely any time soon?

further redoubling of the Ebbw line (or at least a passing loop) is needed to get the frequency up to half-hourly. Additionally, some politicians/figures (I forget who) are saying that the second service should run to Cardiff.

Edit: the passing loop option has been funded, as well as the Ebbw Vale Town extension: Article in the SW Argus suggests they should be done come the end of 2016.

 

[Starmill]

further redoubling of the Ebbw line (or at least a passing loop) is needed to get the frequency up to half-hourly. Additionally, some politicians/figures (I forget who) are saying that the second service should run to Cardiff.

Edit: the passing loop option has been funded, as well as the Ebbw Vale Town extension: Article in the SW Argus suggests they should be done come the end of 2016.

Personally I think the second train per hour must go to Newport, of nothing else so that the fares from stations on this line (especially Rogerstone and Pye Corner) to Newport - very short distances - can go down. They're priced at more than the fare to Cardiff at present, as that is the only way to make the journey. So no use to people who travel to Newport City Centre at all. For interchange purposes, the vast majority of the country is west of Newport - at present any long distance journeys to or from the Ebbw Valley line stations need to go via Cardiff, making rail much less competitive.

We have an older thread about the second hourly service.
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As I'm not working that day I'm tempted to get the first ever train to Pye Corner.

Interestingly brfares doesn't have any tickets listed yet. It'd be a shame if I couldn't buy a ticket to there on the first day.

I have fired off an email to ATW - maybe you could do the same, mentioning you are planning to travel there on the 14th. Alternatively, if you are local, drop in at a Cardiff ticket office and see what they say (which is probably going to be 'get a ticket to Rogerstone'). BRFares probably reflects the current situation, which is that you can't get tickets to Pye Corner because it isn't in the database They will probably be available from 2nd Jan - this was the case for James Cook earlier in the year. Maybe one of the fares experts can help with this...

 

[NORMAN471]

As I'm not working that day I'm tempted to get the first ever train to Pye Corner.

Interestingly brfares doesn't have any tickets listed yet. It'd be a shame if I couldn't buy a ticket to there on the first day.

Is it possible that the Welsh pronunciation could be "PUE" and if so, anyone could visit Piglet in the House at Pye Corner and have a game of Pooh Sticks with Christopher Robin.

Remember to take some Hunny!!

Oh dear!!

 

[edwin_m]

Just checked a bi-lingual press release on the Welsh Government site and it the Welsh name of the station appears to be ... Pye Corner!

http://cymru.gov.uk/newsroom/transport/2013/7416370/?skip=1&lang=cy

 

[Busaholic]

Just checked a bi-lingual press release on the Welsh Government site and it the Welsh name of the station appears to be ... Pye Corner!

http://cymru.gov.uk/newsroom/transport/2013/7416370/?skip=1&lang=cy

Any educated Cockney in the area will quickly refer to it as r squared corner.

 

[headshot119]

SNIP
We have an older thread about the second hourly service.
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I have fired off an email to ATW - maybe you could do the same, mentioning you are planning to travel there on the 14th. Alternatively, if you are local, drop in at a Cardiff ticket office and see what they say (which is probably going to be 'get a ticket to Rogerstone'). BRFares probably reflects the current situation, which is that you can't get tickets to Pye Corner because it isn't in the database They will probably be available from 2nd Jan - this was the case for James Cook earlier in the year. Maybe one of the fares experts can help with this...

Email fired off, I will try and remember to pop into Cathays, or Queen Street booking offices and see what they can do for me, though I suspect the fares are simply not in the database.

Surely they can add them before the next NFM, they've certainly changed prices in the past that have been errors so they must be able to do something.

 

[Bedpan]

Just checked a bi-lingual press release on the Welsh Government site and it the Welsh name of the station appears to be ... Pye Corner!

http://cymru.gov.uk/newsroom/transport/2013/7416370/?skip=1&lang=cy

I don't think that its the spelling, more how the letters P, Y and E are pronounced in English and Welsh respectively. They both have the disestive system in common thoough - the English pronounciation makes me feel hungry (would be a good name for a café) and the Welsh pronounciation, well lets just say it doesn't.

 

[SickyNicky]

Email fired off, I will try and remember to pop into Cathays, or Queen Street booking offices and see what they can do for me, though I suspect the fares are simply not in the database.

Surely they can add them before the next NFM, they've certainly changed prices in the past that have been errors so they must be able to do something.

I would imagine that the fares ARE in the database now, but I believe that you can't access them until tomorrow (5th December is the first day systems can show them, I believe).

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I don't think that its the spelling, more how the letters P, Y and E are pronounced in English and Welsh respectively. They both have the disestive system in common thoough - the English pronounciation makes me feel hungry (would be a good name for a café) and the Welsh pronounciation, well lets just say it doesn't.

Indeed so. The first time that I heard of Pye Corner, taking more heed of the supposed pronunciation, I was minded of the "Mrs. Miggins" from the Blackadder series who had a shop that sold such items.

 

[RP]

Unsurprisingly the local takeaway is called 'Pie Corner'!

There did seem to be a Welsh version of the name used in the early announcements - Cornel Pye, which sounds even worse. There is also another Pye Corner, in the Nash area, south of Newport.

Another station on the Ebbw Vale line has just an English name - Crosskeys.

Locally there is real concern that passengers using this station will be unable to board trains on Rugby match days and even if they are able, may not find seats. This does not necessarily encourage people who have not been accustomed to using trains more regularly.

 

[PHILIPE]

Cornel Pye would seem to be the appropriate translation but Pye has no equivalent Welsh word. There are a number of places in Wales which do not possess a Welsh name, an example of which is Coryton. If you are at Cardiff Central announcements can be heard "i Gaergybi" which means to Holyhead. The actual place name is Caergybi but has to be mutated due Rules of Mutation, i.e. C changes to G after "i". (and after instances also). However, trains to Coryton are announced as "i Coryton" which does not mutate to "Goryton" because Coryton as an English word and has no Welsh equivalent.

 

[Copeland]

Fares are now showing from Pye Corner on ATW site. Am I reading this right? It is showing this morning as return to Cardiff £3.00!!?? I regularly travel from Rogerstone to Cardiff which is only one and half miles up the line and is £6.70 return.
Surely a error!

 

[Starmill]

Fares are now showing from Pye Corner on ATW site. Am I reading this right? It is showing this morning as return to Cardiff £3.00!!?? I regularly travel from Rogerstone to Cardiff which is only one and half miles up the line and is £6.70 return.
Surely a error!

You are indeed. You mightn't want to make it too obvious, but for Rogerstone commuters, there are significant savings to be had...

 

[Copeland]

That's a curious fare structure but not that I am complaining because only live 10mins walk away from the station, but getting on a train will be another matter! Once regular commuters twig that they will be saving 60% on rail fares by taking their car only another one and half miles, it will be one mass exodus to Pye Corner. I still think its an error but we will see.

 

[HowardGWR]

Well, lets' celebrate the problems of success, we hope. I love the play on words that shops use. I know it's corny but the hairdressers ones kill me.

How about 'Pye in the Sky' for the future connection to Newport?

 

[Tumbleweed]

I'm sure the station will be a success - as for the Newport connection, thought I read somewhere that it will be difficult to turn back trains in the station, so a seperate platform has to be built???

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I'm sure the station will be a success - as for the Newport connection, thought I read somewhere that it will be difficult to turn back trains in the station, so a seperate platform has to be built???

How many platforms are there at Pye Corner...I thought this was to be a single platform station?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

You can see from the comments that most people in the area don't see it as a particularly useful station, especially without through services to Newport. Are these likely any time soon?

How far away is the new station site of Pye Corner from the site of the former Bassaleg Junction station that closed in April 1962?

 

[Copeland]

How many platforms are there at Pye Corner...I thought this was to be a single platform station?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


How far away is the new station site of Pye Corner from the site of the former Bassaleg Junction station that closed in April 1962?

As a local, I can tell you Pye Corner station is around 250 yds north of the former Bassaleg Junction station.
It is a single platform but Railtrack has stated the design allows for expansion. The original track remains in situ with no connection to the new line, which has been slightly realigned into the platform. A second platform could be built on the other side of the original trackbed I suppose. I can only guess that it would be able to service a possible shuttle service to Newport, though I understand that presently, due to the signalling, train reversal is not possible on the branch, other than at the terminus of course.
There may be some murmurings about it being a white elephant but I will confidently predict that it will be just as popular as other stations on the line. Passenger loading figures to Cardiff have far exceeded what was forecast, and at peak times the train is at capacity and also well used throughought the day by shoppers. However there is still a demand for a connecting or through service to Newport for onward travel to the east and north of the country.
http://imgur.com/DgclFVG